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Hundra vägar till Afrika : en introduktion till modern afrikansk skönlitteratur
No full textSkönlitteratur är en utmärkt förmedlare av kunskap om ett land, dess folk, kultur, tankesätt m m. I denna bok beskrivs utförligt över etthundra olika verk av afrikanska författare som finns översatta till svenska. Boken innehåller även biografier över författarna, en förteckning över artiklar om afrikanska författare och deras verk, samt en annoterad förteckning över internationella tidskrifter med kulturellt och litterärt innehåll.Omarbetad nätupplaga 2003.INNEHÅLL: Inledning, 6 -- Historik, 7 -- Algeriet, 20 -- Angola, 21 -- Botswana, 27 -- Egypten, 29 -- Ghana, 45 -- Guinea, 48 -- Kamerun, 50 -- Kenya, 52 -- Mali, 59 -- Marocko, 61 -- Moçambique, 64 -- Nigeria, 67 -- Senegal, 90 -- Somalia, 100 -- Sydafrika, 104 -- Uganda, 143 -- Zimbabwe, 146 -- Négrituderörelsen, 150 -- Tidskrifter, 152 -- Litteraturhistoria och handböcker: källförteckning, 157 -- Författarregister, 159 -- Titelregister, 161</p
Bushmen and diamonds : (un)civil society in Botswana
No full textBotswana's democracy is often considered to be a comparatively advanced and positive example of an African state in terms of political culture and the notion of "good governance". This paper challenges the assumption that the country's current political and socio-economic system is, in fact, exemplary. It highlights some of the limitations by focussing on the particular situation of the Bushmen/San as a margina-lized minority denied citizens' rights and losing out against the material interests accompanying the exploration and exploitation of diamonds, the most lucrative natural resource contributing to Botswana's "success story".The author has on previous occasions presented and published related analyses within the research network on "Liberation and Democracy in Southern Africa" (LiDeSA), which is currently coordinated through the Nordic Africa Institute. This publication is another result of the collaboration within this project.CONTENTS -- Botswana's Liberal Democracy -- Presidentialism and Low Accountability in Government -- The San, Inequalities and the Exploitation of Diamonds -- Diamonds, Inequalities and "Negative Peace" -- Protest, "Terrorism" and Democracy -- Undiversified Economy, Weak Civil Society and State Incapacity -- Appendix: -- Maps of the Central Kalahari GameReserve before and after the Expulsion
Music as instrument of diversity and unity : notes on a Namibian landscape
No full textThis report explores the interface between recent socio-political changes in Namibia, and the way they are reflected in emergent musical practices and identities within the country. The potential tension between unity and diversity is investigated within musical landscapes in traditional and contemporary frames. Sadly, diversity is often seen to be the precursor of divisiveness rather than a product of human creativity and ingenuity. Based on a decade of field research undertaken mainly in the north and central areas of Namibia since 1993, this report poses questions about fundamental purposes of music-making, and the conscious response of people to the contemporary Namibian socio-political situation. It provides a broad overview of music emanating from different cultural practices in Namibia, and relates this to the State's political strategies for ensuring unity and nation-building through policy-making, education and broadcast media. The changes that occur in musical practices are seen as strategic cultural choices and ongoing identity-formation.CONTENTS -- The musical landscape-bands of unity and rhythms of diversity -- A musician's perspective on Namibian statehood and budding nationhood -- Political (con)texts in music -- Strategies for nation-building in the cultural sphere -- Musical expericences of continuity and change -- As a final
Denmark and national liberation in Southern Africa : a flexible response
No full textThis book describes and documents the development of Danish support to national liberation in Southern Africa and the two-sided humanitarian and political character of this support. It is based on previously restricted Danish ministry records and on NGO archives and interviews.The Nordic countries were unique in the Western world in their support to individuals, organisations and refugees, struggling to end institutionalised colonialism and racism and alleviate their humanitarian consequences. Nordic support was humanitarian and civilian, and to a large extent was given to refugees and to education. Increasingly, it came to involve national liberation movements and financial support to their civilian activities, at a time when these movements were politically and militarily struggling against the regimes in their countries-including the government of Portugal, a NATO military partner of Norway and Denmark.Danish support developed differently from that of the other Nordic countries. Official support was never given directly to liberation movements. Rather, Danish NGOs were employed to advise on Danish allocations and to distribute these allocations and carry out activities, using their own capacity or through their international networks. In the field of sanctions, Denmark shifted from a policy of awaiting a UN Security Council decision to imposing unilateral trade sanctions as the first Western country to do so, and the book analyses the political developments behind this.The study seeks to determine the events, rationales, arguments and decisions that led to the various forms of Danish support. Key questions are how Danish support was established as a purely humanitarian facility that later developed into supporting also the liberation movements, and how boycott was first considered to be an issue for the individual but eventually became national, official policy. The study seeks to describe why support and sanctions developed in the way and at the pace they did. Major factors involved were Danish public awareness of developments in Southern Africa, domestic political debates and mobilisation through NGOs.This focus on processes of change has been necessary in a field of Danish foreign relations that during the course of the research was recognised as being a very wide as well as a very interesting one. As a new field of research, and with the majority of the sources never having been studied before, this study has an aim to provide a platform for other researchers, journalists and students. Hopefully it will inspire others to investigate the whole issue further-or to consider it in a different perspective.CONTENTS -- OUT OF ANONYMITY: THE APARTHEID APPROPRIATION -- TO OR 'THROUGH'? DENMARK SUPPORTING NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENTS -- 1974: POLITICAL STRUGGLE AND STALEMATE -- SANCTIONS: DENMARK’S SHIFT FROM HESITANT TO DECISIVE -- TRENDS AND CONCLUSIONS</p
News from the Nordic Africa Institute : No. 2 May, 2003
No full textContents: To Our Readers / Lennart Wohlgemuth -- Commentaries: Elections in Kenya—What now? / Anders Närman -- The Relation between HIV Prevalence and Virgin Rape / Charlene Smith -- Governance in Zimbabwe / Lovemore Chipungu -- Interview: Interview with Ibrahim Haruna Lipumba -- Research: Beyond Africa. Studying the Second, Postcolonial African Diaspora / Mai Palmberg -- Guest Researchers with Diaspora Research / Lena Sawyer, Wumi Raji, Maria Eriksson Baaz -- Conference reports: Conferences and Meetings -- Publishing: Recent Publications -- Håkan Gidlöf - In Memoriam -- Scholarship: Claude Ake Visiting Chair at Uppsala University -- Poem: ‘Propaganda’ by Julius Chingono</p
Liberia - the eye of the storm : a review of the literature on internally displaced, refugees and returnees
No full textOne of the most prominent, and from a humanitarian and human rights perspective most troubling aspects of internal conflicts during recent years is the plight of the internally displaced persons, and refugees. Forced to leave their homes in search of refuge, internally displaced persons often find themselves with little protection, with unclear rights, and without safe livelihoods. While their most important support generally comes from the communities receiving them, which often have very few resources, international humanitarian organisations have not been able to agree on clear mandates with regard to who should have the overall responsibility for assisting them. Although the international community is better organised to care for those who have crossed borders and become refugees, it is still struggling to finetune and coordinate available aid instruments and to mobilize sufficient resources in order to facilitate their post-conflict return, resettlement and reintegration. As this literature review of internally displaced persons, refugees and returnees shows in relation to Liberia, there are ongoing conflicts where we lack sufficient understanding of migration patterns and the socio-economic conditions of the displaced, an understanding which is a prerequisite for designing appropriate preventive and mitigating action. This review also highlights the severe lack of protection of civilians in Liberia, children in particular, which leads to forced recruitments to local armed groups as well as exposure to sexual violence.CONTENTS -- 1. INTRODUCTION -- 2. CAUSES OF THE DISPLACEMENT -- 3. DISPLACED AND REFUGEE MOVEMENTS -- 4. LIVELIHOODS AND EXPERIENCE -- 4. LIVELIHOODS AND EXPERIENCE -- 5. THE NATURE AND IMPACT OF ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES -- 6. IMPACT ON HOSTING AREAS -- 7. RESETTLEMENT AND REPATRIATION -- 8. INTEGRATION AND REINTEGRATION -- 9. CONCLUDING REMARKS -- 10. BIBLIOGRAPH
Multi-habitation : urban housing and everyday life in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe
No full textThis is a study of everyday life and the quality of living in a poor neighbourhood of Chitungwiza, an independent Zimbabwean town about thirty kilometres south of Harare city centre. In the official view, this is a home-ownership neighbourhood. However, there are usually many families living in multi-habitation on each property, and lodgers outnumber owners. Within a restricted area people have to negotiate over, and adapt their use of space. Their ability to do so differs, depending on whether they are owners, tenants or lodgers, women or men, children, adults or elderly, and whether they are gainfully employed or not. The outcome of these negotiations and adaptations decisively affects their feeling of being at home in the house and the neighbourhood. The histories told by the people who are given voice in this report point to housing as highly significant in their coping with poverty, and to multi-habitation as affecting their agency as urban citizens.CONTENTS -- Preface -- Map of Harare area and Chitungwiza1. Introduction -- 2. Informalisation of formal housing -- 3. Esther-her house and livelihoods -- 4. More case histories of owners and lodgers -- 5. Quality of living conditions -- 6. Coping with poverty -- Reference
Ghana - long term growth, atrophy and stunted recovery
No full textGhana's independence in March 1957 was celebrated with great flourish. "Free at last!" Kwame Nkrumah, the country's leader, proclaimed. Yes, Ghana was free to follow an independent political course, and free to experiment with an independent economic direction. But the exercise of that freedom proved to be destructive. Gradually removing internal agents of restraint, and unconcerned about external constraints, Nkrumah pursued his grand vision of Ghana. But, that vision became a nightmare. More than a quarter century of increasingly chaotic political and economic turbulence followed.Eventually a major reform program was launched, but after fifteen years its success has been modest. While the downward spiral has been halted, and real growth resumed, real GDP per capita and total factor productivity have barely exceeded the levels achieved at independence. The long-run economic and political records are both lackluster, each limiting the potential of the other. The question is, why has Ghana not achieved sustained and rapid long-term growth? This study seeks to provide an answer.As we review the experience of the forty plus years of independence, five explanatory themes recur. The first theme is excess demand. Repeatedly, fiscal and monetary policies have been excessively expansionary, generating bouts of inflation, followed by painful adjustment. Ghanaian entrepreneurs have seldom been able to count on a stable macroeconomic environment for more than a few months into the future. Such a short-term horizon has been damaging. Currency overvaluation is the second theme. Initially the problem was a fixed nominal exchange rate, maintained in the face of domestic inflation. Exchange controls followed, while inflation accelerated. The real price of foreign exchange was depressed to a small fraction of its level at independence, and forced the economy to become virtually autarkic. Recovery of the real exchange rate under the reform program has occurred, but its instability remains a serious source of uncertainty for all - exporters, import competing producers, and foreign investors alike. Third, closely related to the foregoing, Ghana has frequently failed to realize the potential gains from pursuing and supporting its comparative advantage. Among the traditional exports, cocoa suffered from a variety of devices that suppressed the real producer price and depressed production to well belowits optimum. Minerals, until recently, endured state ownership, and neglect of infrastructure. The fourth theme is suppression of the financial sector. With the state heavily involved in running financial institutions, and repeated confiscation of assets both directly and via inflation, individuals are reluctant to hold financial assets. The financial sector, consequently, does not yet play its potential roles in bringing savers and investors together. The fifth theme concerns the role of the state. The state was stretched far beyond its abilities. The overextended reach of government and the administrative complexity of many programs pushed the state well beyond the limits of activities that it could handle efficiently and without corruption. This seriously compromised the effectiveness of nearly everything the state was involved in, ranging from education to health care to state-owned enterprises to administration of economic controls. The outcome was a near collapse of the state. Not only was the state ineffective in its economic activities, but it failed to consistently control predation by its agents. Real assets were confiscated, both by direct seizure and indirectly by economic policies. At various times agents of the state extorted huge rents from society and beat hapless victims. The lingering sense that such experiences might recur, leaves the economy achieving far less than its potential, in spite of significant economic and political reforms achieved over the past fifteen years. To appreciate why Ghana's modern history unfolded in this way, it is necessary to understand both the political and economic dimensions. We begin in Chapter 1 with an overview of the economic and political record of the various regimes that governed Ghana from independence through to the launch of the economic reform program in 1983. Those reforms and the consequences are the subject of Chapter 2. The major conclusions are presented in Chapter 3
Zimbabwe's presidential elections 2002 : evidence, lessons and implications
No full textThe Presidential Elections that took place from March 9 to 11, 2002 in Zimbabwe provoked enormous internal and international controversies. The impact of the politically contested continued presidency of Robert Mugabe, head of state and leader of the government under ZANU-PF since Zimbabwe's Independence in 1980, for the country, the region and the continent might be far reaching. The consequences are not yet fully apparent, but the current debates also centre around the case of Zimbabwe as a litmus test for the notion of "good governance" and democracy as perceived and acknowledged by other African leaders especially in the context of the "New Partnership for Africa's Development" (NEPAD). The contributions to this Discussion Paper offer critical and political comments from scholars mainly in or from the Southern African region, who have been closely involved with regional and Zimbabwean issues.CONTENTS -- Dealing with Despotism: The People and the Presidents/Kenneth Good -- The Rebels Within: Urban Zimbabwe in the Post-Election Period/Amin Y. Kamete -- Climbing out from the Rubble/Brian Raftopoulos -- Observing the Observers/Tandeka C. Nkiwane -- Zimbabwe and "The Pitfalls of National Consciousness"/Henning Melber -- Zimbabwe's Debacle, Africa's Response and the Implications for the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)/Ian Taylor -- Beyond the Zimbabwean Mist: Challenges and Prospects for Democracy in Africa/Patrick Molutsi -- Zimbabwe after the Elections: A German View/Stefan Mai
A democracy of chameleons : politics and culture in the New Malawi
No full textAfter thirty years of autocratic rule under ”Life President” Kamuzu Banda, Malawians experienced a transition to multiparty democracy in 1994. A new constitution and several democratic institutions promised a new dawn in a country ravaged by poverty and injustice. This book presents original research on the economic, social, political and cultural consequences of the new era. The book engages with a culture of politics in order to expand the purview of critical analysis from the elite to the populace in its full diversity. A new generation of scholars, most of them from Malawi, cover virtually every issue causing debate in the New Malawi: poverty and hunger, the plight of civil servants, the role of the judiciary, political intolerance and hate speech, popular music as a form of protest, clergy activism, voluntary associations and ethnic revival, responses to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and controversies over women’s rights. Both chameleon-like leaders and the donors of Malawi’s foreign aid come under critical scrutiny for supporting superficial democratization. The book ends with a rare public statement on the New Malawi by Jack Mapanje, Malawi’s internationally acclaimed writer. Dismayed at the continuation of an ”oral culture of dictatorship”, Mapanje urges Malawians to confront their past in order to have a future that is free from fear and intolerance.Anyone interested in politics and culture in sub-Saharan Africa will find this book an important source of insight and detailed analysis for a comparative understanding of Africa’s democratization.CONTENTS -- The Culture of Chameleon Politics / Harri Englund -- The Politics of Poverty Alleviation in Malawi: A Critical Review / Blessings Chinsinga -- Freedom and Insecurity: Civil Servants between Support Networks, the Free Market and the Civil Service Reform / Gerhard Anders -- Judicial Mediation in Electoral Politics in Malawi / Clement Ng’ong’ola -- Hate Speech in the New Malawi / Edrinnie Kayambazinthu & Fulata Moyo -- “Mzimu wa Soldier”: Contemporary Popular Music and Politics in Malawi / Reuben Makayiko Chirambo -- Are Malawi’s Local Clergy Civil Society Activists?: The Limiting Impact of Creed, Context and Class / Peter Von Doepp -- Ethnic Revival and Language Associations in the New Malawi: The Case of Chitumbuka / Gregory H. Kamwendo -- Tikutha: The Political Culture of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Malawi / John Lwanda -- “Human Rights and the Multiparty System Have Swallowed Our Traditions”: Conceiving Women and Culture in the New Malawi / Ulrika Ribohn -- Afterword. The Orality of Dictatorship: In Defence of My Country / Jack Mapanje</p